Ten
by Une Rose
Summary: One New Year, one countdown, one kiss... shared by many. and oh so many deaths that will never be forgotten. contains love, angst, and hope.


**10**

**The screams of many muggles all over the country rang out with the same number. Joy filled voices came together to announce the countdown to a new year.**

Ron pulled on Hermione's arm playfully, tugging her towards the crowd. They slipped through the mass of people and found a small clearing. Snuggling down, they looked towards the sky and the stars that lit it. Ron became suddenly quiet as he gazed up at the heavens. Hermione snuggled closer to him and kissed his neck softly.

"What's wrong love?" She whispered.

"Do you think Fred is up there?" Ron asked quietly.

"There's no where else he would go." The bushy-haired girl replied, and she embraced him tightly.

**9**

**The crowds yelled in unison, awaiting the joys that the New Year would bring them, making last minute resolutions that they knew they would break, or hugging their lovers.**

Luna fell in step beside Dennis, her soft blond hair blowing gently behind her as she sped to catch up.

"I know how it hurts you." She said in her singsong-like voice, causing him to look up abruptly and stop walking. "Every time you look at me, you see the girl that he loved." She shook her head at him. "I think the wackspurts have gotten to you."

"He loved you. And it just doesn't feel like I should be the one with you tonight." Luna reached a hand out and took Dennis' in hers. She raised it to her lips and kissed the hand once, before whispering

"Colin may have loved me, Dennis, but I love you. That's what matters, isn't it?"

"That's what matters." Dennis echoed quietly as he leaned down towards her slowly.

**8**

**A small family crowded around a blanket that lay on the ground. Kids ran excitedly, yelling the number on the top of their lungs. The mother and father smiled at them and cried loudly with them. Their happiness was written clearly in their faces.**

"Too bad Fred had to miss this." Molly stated to her husband, as if her son were only away for a short period of time, and would regret missing this party.

"He would have loved it." Arthur glanced out upon the mayhem that was New Years Eve and smiled to himself.

"Do you remember when we used to get Muggle firecrackers just for Fred and George? They liked the sounds they made when they whistled and popped." She chuckled a little and clutched tighter onto Arthur's arm. "And one year, we got them those whatsits…" She trailed off, at loss for the evasive muggle word.

"Sparklers." Arthur supplied.

"Sparklers, right. And little George had enough sense in him to leave it well alone once it was done 'sparkling'. But not our Freddie."

"He reached out and grabbed onto the end." (1) The tall, balding man chuckled as well.

"He was always too curious for his own good." Molly whispered. "I miss him." Sudden tears filled her eyes, and she was pulled into the arms of an equally teary eyed .

"I miss him too."

**7**

**Everyone stared at the ball that was lowering down. They counted and waited for what was sure to be an amazing ending. Muggles and wizards alike were happily awaiting the celebrations that would soon be arriving.**

Harry splashed some water on his face and stared into the mirror. He stared at the image that faced him. The truth that faced him, for he could not lie to himself.

He felt responsible. Responsible for every single one of those deaths. The guilt lay heavy on him, controlling his every move, his every thought.

And he knew that it hurt her, to see him blame himself for everything. But there was nothing that Harry could do.

And suddenly, he was chocking back tears. His eyes closed against the image of himself. His body shook as he remembered all those lost lives. All of them were his fault.

But she was there with him. Ginny strode into the bathroom, even though it said 'MEN' on the door in bold letters, and picked him up. She set him back on his feet, wiped the tears from his eyes, and said

"I love you. Don't give up on me now. I need you." And she led him outside once more, into the cool, dark air.

"And you need me." Harry almost thought he heard her whisper into his chest. She hugged him fiercely, and looked up into his sad face.

**6**

**A few teenagers were setting off fireworks early, not bothering to join in the countdown. They set their small horde in the middle of a darkened street, waiting for the real show to begin.**

Angelina glanced over at George, who was staring out at the crowd gathered. He had a small frown on his face, which was so unlike before. When Fred was still alive, the two never frowned. They smiled together, big, infectious grins. And they spread happiness to everyone.

But since his brother's death, George smiled a lot less. He only did it so as to not worry the people around him, but they worried anyways. Because when he was alone, or thought that no one was watching, that frown would creep back onto his face.

"Chin up George. It's almost a new year." Angelina caught her boyfriend's eyes, and saw the sadness in them, the sadness that he didn't bother covering up this time.

"He always loved firecrackers." George mumbled "I wish he was here. I really miss him."

"But George." Angelina whispered, taking his face in her hand. "He is here; he is with you always, as long as you remember him."

George nodded, and looked back towards the crowd, not wanting her to see the tears that were now in his eyes.

"They all are, aren't they?" his voice trembled, and then faded off into nothing. "Everyone who died? They're all with the people who love them?" He whispered.

"Yes, they all are." Angelina reassured him. George quietly laid his head on her shoulder, kissing the neck tenderly.

**5**

**Two people embraced, and then leaned into each other. Shouting along with the crowd of people, their cheeks were flushed with love and excitement.**

Fleur sat down silently beside his makeshift grave in her backyard. The elf that had died in her front yard. The elf that meant so much to Harry. His friend, his equal.

She ran her small hand over the words 'free elf' and marveled at the idea. A free elf, it sounded nice to her ears.

She looked up to the sky where she could see fireworks blasting in the distance. It was a beautiful sight. She had found the perfect spot to see the colours that lit up the sky. Glancing back down at the grave, Fleur wondered how Harry was able to carry on after he had lost so much. After he had sacrificed everything.

She didn't know what she would do if she had lost as much as he had. She wasn't even strong enough the think of losing Bill without crying.

She heard footsteps, and then Bill sat down beside her and gathered her small form in his arms.

And together they watched the bright explosions of colour, but Fleur's mind was on something else.

She could not forget about Dobby, the free elf. And the fact that they were all free. And everyone who died, died to help them achieve that. And everyone who had gotten injured, like her husband, endured the pain for the same reason.

"Bill…" She trailed off, looking into his eyes. Silence enveloped them for a moment before she found her voice again. "Merci."

Bill's scarred face broke into a small smile; a smile just for her. And he didn't even ask what she was thanking him for.

"You're welcome," He knew he would tell her when she was ready. "My flower." Bill's arm wrapped around his wife's shoulder in a tender embrace.

**4**

**A lonely person sat down in a crowd. He silently watched the people around him getting ready for the big bang of fireworks that would be coming shortly. In four seconds, a new year would be there. A new year, that would enter with a bang.**

Lily looked down from where ever her and her husband were. For she did not know if they had ended up in heaven, or if that place was even real. All she knew was that she was there, and James was with her.

She sighed as she saw her son's pain. Oh how she wanted to be the one to help him up, to dry his tears, to be the one he would turn to when everything was too much for him.

She just wanted to live, to be with Harry. She missed him. She would give anything to be able to be down there with him. How she hated death. It separated her from her little baby, and there was nothing she could do about it.

A cool hand placed itself on her head. She looked up and saw James standing, looking down on their son as well.

"I wish we could be down there with him." He stated her thoughts exactly, as if he was reading her mind.

"Me too" The grief at being away from her son for so long showed in her voice. James slid an arm around her waist and held her closely. She leaned into him, and knew that Harry was not alone, and even if he could not have his parents to comfort him, he had Ginny. And she was more than enough for him.

But she still yearned to be there, and she still wished that she was alive.

**3**

**Two kids, brother and sister, sit side by side, their animosity of sibling rivalry forgotten in the moment of bliss. Their excitement filled them so much, it was a wonder they managed to sit still at all. But sit still they did, for they did not want to miss the coming of a new year.**

Pansy flopped down beside an obviously brooding Draco Malfoy. He was staring at the sky with such hate that the young Slytherin witch could almost feel it radiating off the blonde's skin. His eyes were filled with anger, though Pansy could not figure out why.

"What's wrong?" She questioned.

"Muggles!" Draco exclaimed, dramatically throwing his hands in the air. Pansy knew that Draco hated Muggles, but she had never ever heard him this mad while speaking of them before. Quickly, she asked him what they did to the sky that made him so mad.

"Their damned fireworks! Every year, on this day, they get all worked up and excited about a new year coming! Their celebrations are pointless!" He ranted, as he stood up and started pacing the floor in aggravation. He just couldn't take it anymore.

"Those fool Muggles with their stupid damn light switches and electricity! And their cars and music devices! Why do we need them? What use are they?" He had now lowered himself to the ground and was eye to eye with a now terrified Pansy. She had never seen him so angry, not even when he was complaining about that Potter boy. He looked absolutely livid right then, his eyes shinning with contempt.

That is, until Pansy got a closer look at them. Shinning they were, but not with hatred, no, with tears. Draco was not only angry, he was deeply sad. Sad enough to cry, which was something that the Slytherin hardly ever did. "Why are they still here?"

When Pansy said nothing through her shock, he continued with his monologue, the tears now falling steadily down his face.

"Because of men like him. They love Muggles, love everything about them. They only know love, and how to love. How could they even stand liking those people? Do you want to know why?"

He was once again speaking to Pansy. She quietly nodded her head, and he continued.

"Because they are special. One of a kind. And I almost killed one of them."

Pansy understood all of a sudden what this was about. She pulled her friend down onto the ground beside her once more and looked into his eyes.

"But you didn't."

**2**

**She could hear the chorus of voices in the distance, calling out the numbers with anticipation, awaiting the New Year. And she smiled and joined in, even though she could not be there to see the spectacle, she could still welcome the year.**

"Was it worth it?" Neville wondered out loud, voicing his half completed thoughts to a startled Hannah Abbot. After the war, they had become fast friends, needing the human contact to survive their grief.

"Was what worth it?" She asked, trying to make sense of his statement. Sometimes, her friend could be so very confusing that she didn't even bother trying to decipher the meaning behind what he said. But this time, she decided to chance the inevitable confusion that would follow her question, because something had been on Neville's mind all night, and she knew that he needed to let it out, whether she understood what he was saying or not.

"All the deaths. All the pain. All the loss and suffering and tears. All the war. Why couldn't we have just let him win? It would be easier, wouldn't it? Killers wouldn't be killers; the dead would be alive…" Neville trailed off here, looking down in shame and guilt, as though he could not bear to be having these thoughts. "They would be here, with me. We would be together again."

"Neville…" Hannah started quietly "You know that giving in to him would only have created more problems. It was worth it, because we're free, aren't we?"

"But, I miss them, I miss my parents. And I know you miss your mum too. Would they be here still if we had given in?"

"No, probably not." Tears shone in Hannah's eyes, but she bothered not to wipe them away. "But you have me, and I have you, and we have each other." The tears spilled over onto her cheeks as she hugged Neville close to her. "And that's all that matters."

"That's all the matters…" Echoed Neville, as he looked closely to her tear stained face. He never noticed how beautiful she really was.

**1**

**All around the globe, lips met lips. Lovers snuggled together, friends became much more than just that, and people, old and new, took part in this tradition.**

Before either of them knew what was going on, their lips were together, and they were kissing so passionately that they could hardly breathe. He ran his hands through her hair and took in her wonderful scent, this was all he needed.

She sighed and leaned in closed, licking his lips and smiling into the unexpected kiss. It was beautiful and perfect.

And then they pulled away, the taste of the other still on their lips.

And three words were said, those three words that some people wait a lifetime to hear. Three words that have been said to so many people, they should have lost meaning by now, but they didn't, and they never would.

"_I love you_."

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A/N: Yay! This is finally finished! It was so hard to write! But I loved it, and it was super fun! So please, leave a review telling me what you think!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

(1) when i was a kid, i did this. it was painful.... and i have been cautious of sparklers ever since. :P lol


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